Chatting with author Jennifer Dukes Lee at She Speaks 2023

The quote pictured here is just one of my favorite takeaways from author Jennifer Dukes Lee, who shared on the topic of posting engaging content to make your social media grow at She Speaks 2023.

When I saw Jennifer’s name on the She Speaks speaker roster this spring, I was thrilled to know I’d get to hear her in person because I’d gotten to know more about her as an author last year through COMPEL Training (more on that below👇🏻). Her She Speaks session was on point and packed with scriptural truths! But this quote is what we were all talking about after the session, and as I contemplate my social media plans moving forward, it keeps me focused on what matters most when I write: Planting seeds faithfully as God provides opportunities to share His stories with others.

My first interaction with Jennifer was as part of COMPEL Training’s Direct Access Writer’s Book Club in the spring of 2022, where members don’t just read the book together and discuss its content, but also have “direct access” to tips, techniques, and discussion with the book’s author and editor. Jennifer has written several books, but this book club focused on her most recent book at the time, Growing Slow: Lessons on Un-hurrying Your Heart From an Accidental Farm Girl. As you can imagine, this was an invaluable learning experience!

However, I was most grateful to discover that Jennifer is not just a talented, experienced writer: She is one of the most authentic, encouraging, generous, and wise writing mentors I’ve had the privilege to learn from. I deeply appreciated every insight she shared, every question she answered, and every tear she allowed to spill freely as she related to our writing frustrations and disappointments. It was a tremendous blessing to learn from her then, and another generous gift to hear her live this summer!

But my favorite JDL takeaway will be chatting with her in between She Speaks events—she is really a gem! She hung out in the hotel lobby and welcomed every “hello” that came her way. Thanks for this warm hug and your words of encouragement, Jennifer!